New classroom set to be built at Polehampton Junior School after fundraising efforts

Will Taylor

04:47PM, Friday 13 May 2016

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A new classroom will be constructed over the summer at Polehampton Junior School following successful fundraising efforts from the PTA.

The extra room, which is part of the PTA’s ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign, will be built in a space between two existing classrooms, where it will be used for one-on-one contact sessions, a quiet reading space, and to provide cooking facilities.

The PTA put on a number of fundraising events and has also received money from charities such as the David Brownlow Foundation, which donated £20,000.

“It is thanks to contributions from the school community and to charities like David Brownlow.

“It is going to be a very important facility to the children and future generations.”

The site was visited on Saturday by Alex Barfield, of the David Brownlow Foundation, and Bill Johns, of the Berkshire Masonic Society, which secured a £1,300 donation.

The £20,000 donation from the David Brownlow Foundation brought the PTA’s funds for the project to in excess of £68,000.

The foundation donates to several different causes through-out the country.

Judy Turton, the PTA chairman, said the association had not yet been given a firm total by developers but it was confident it would have the money to complete the project over the summer.

The group hopes work will begin towards the end of the school year, and should be completed by the time the pupils return from holidays.

She said: “I approached the David Brownlow Foundation after seeing an article in RG10 magazine.

“Cooking is now required by the school curriculum so we needed a facility for that. It was Mrs Litson’s idea.”

Despite the amount raised, Ms Turton cautioned that the price of the development was not fixed and urged businesses and people interested in donating to Buy a Brick to come forward and contact the school to ensure the plans go ahead.

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